A Little Black Magic - The Sword of Love Saga
by FanLass
Summary: Macleod comes to Chicago for a visit, and gets a glimpse into Methos new life as a Knight of the Cross. Meanwhile Methos is running in to Boss Malcone and getting headaches can an immortal get sick? Come solve the mystery with A Little Black Magic.
1. Chapter 1

**A Little Black Magic**

This story takes place in 2008 about a month after my story _Methos and Harry Dresden – the Wizard, the Knight and the Pragmatist_, ends. For anyone who has not read that story, this can be read as stand-alone story. Methos is living in the Dresden Files Universe dating Karen Murphy, and hanging out with Harry Dresden while trying to get used to his new life as a Knight of the Cross.

The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, while Highlander belongs to Panzer Davis productions. I wish to thank my editor BCF and Beta Reader RJ Bingham. His stories can be found at (.net/u/2428181/R_J_Bingham)

**Chapter 1**

**Methos Gets Blast from the Past**

The day I met Harry Dresden my life made a 360-degree turn and would never be the same again. I am Methos, the oldest immortal; currently I am caught living a triple life. Ok I have always lived a double life, which in itself is normal for me. I use the identity of a mortal as my cover to stay as far from the game as possible. But until the day I met Harry Dresden I never dreamed I would be living a triple life.

My current mortal identity is Dr. M.E. Stacy, trauma surgeon. Recently I ran into a complication, the wizard Harry Dresden destroyed my Ivanhoe sword. It is impossible for an immortal to be without a sword unless they have a death wish, which I certainly do not. So I called Joe Dawson and asked him to send me a replacement blade, but that was going to take over a week to arrive so reluctantly I borrowed one from Harry. Unfortunately this particular sword came with a lot paperwork filled with much fine print and a fancy outfit. Also it came complete with an archangel whispering in my ear. I am now the reluctant Knight of the Cross bearer of Amoracchius the sword of love. Through all the many millennia have I lived, I never thought I would be risking my life for the side of good. That was a job I have always left to people like Duncan MacLeod and Harry Dresden. It's this Bloody Damn sword Amoracchius, it's changed me in ways I'm not happy about.

It was March 1st and freezing cold even for Chicago standers! I used to think the weather in Paris was cold in the spring but this year Chicago was unseasonably chilly. Well at two AM I crawled back into my warm bed with my now sleeping girlfriend, Karrin Murphy. Last night had been Karrin's night off so I wanted to show her a night on the town. We went to one of our favorite spots: Andy's Jazz Club and Restaurant. Regrettably around 9:00 pm my friend Dr. Don Wingrove called and asked if I would come into Northwestern Memorial Hospital and work in one of the operating rooms. There had been a multi-car pileup on the loop just twenty minutes before. Karrin dropped me at the Hospital, and that ended all hopes for a romantic evening.

The only bright spot was I didn't have to leave home until 9:30 am so there would still be time to spend with Karrin in the morning. It was eight o'clock and the morning sunshine was lightly filtering in to my master suite. I was in one of those states of nirvana half awake, warm in my bed spooning with my lover and at peace with the world.

THEN IT HAPPENED!

I felt a familiar Buzz of another Immortal. Next thing I knew someone was ringing my doorbell and loudly calling out my name. Oh not my name on the mailbox, but the only genuine name I could remembered …METHOS!

"Methos, Methos are you Home? Methos answer the Damn door?" The Immortal yelled out.

"Dammit, Bloody Hell!" was all I could say as I jumped out of bed grasped my sword Amoracchius, and ran to the front door of my penthouse condo in nothing but my boxers and bare feet. Adrenaline was running through my veins so I barely felt the chill in the air and the cold floors against my toes.

Slowly I opened the door to reveal The Highlander Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, still leaning on my doorbell. I pointed Amoracchius straight at his throat. He smiled and gingerly with two fingers pushed the sword aside, then walked in to my condo as if he owned the place

Damn Highlander!

Suddenly before I could even get a word out I was being pummelled with questions.

"Nice place you have here Methos, wow that's a big sword. Where did you get that sword? Where is the one Joe sent you? I thought he sent you a new one several weeks ago? Methos why didn't you call him back to let him know it had arrived? You know how Joe worries!" What is this stuff about Excalibur you been telling Joe? You know Excalibur is only a myth? Methos what's going on, you walked out of our lives seven years ago only to call Joe like the world was coming to an end? Then I find you living like.. like.. this?" Mac finally stopped the inquisition to take a breath and looked around scouting out my change in lifestyle.

To begin it was a far cry from how I lived as the eternal graduate student. My Condo was spacious, the entire top floor of the high-rise. There were floor to ceiling windows that gave spectacular views of the Chicago landscape and Lake Michigan. Every inch of the condo was decorated with sculptures, painting, and plush furniture. The whole condo was a mix between modern and Greek revival, very eclectic. I had not let Karrin change anything yet! Karrin's taste ran more towards doilies and country contemporary. I was not looking forward to trying to mix our style. But after 68 wives I knew how women tend to sneak in to my life and ruin perfectly good custom decor.

"Mac What the hell are you doing here? Moreover how did you find out where I lived?" I asked him before Mac could start his last line of questing. My voice was gravelly and grumpy, I began to feel the chill in the air and missed my warm bed.

"You Doctor ME Stacy are in the Phonebook; I looked it up one line. Joe sent me here because he was worried when you never called back so he sent me to check up on you. Hey you disappear for over seven years and suddenly call Joe and said that your Ivanhoe sword was broken and you needed a replacement. He described it as you were acting like the world was coming to an end. Then you didn't call him back when you got the new sword, which made him more apprehensive. Then Joe finally calls to find out if the sword came and you are acting and I quote (all domestic and lovey-dovey), well you know how Joe talks." Mac spilled out his guts and started chuckling at me.

I ran my fingers through my hair fighting off another headache. "Great I will make sure I change to an unlisted number later today, come in and have a seat Mac, I will be back in a moment after I get some clothes on." I was still yelling at him in my grumpiest voice as I started stumbling off back in the direction the masters bedroom.

Then before I got to the edge of the Oriental rug Karrin emerged out of the bedroom, with my robe on, it dragged on the floor. Then she stood on her tippy toes and tried to look me straight in the eyes. "Good Morning Honey" her words sounded if it was almost dripping with real honey, I could hear the sarcasm in it. "I see we have a guest. I was a little shocked to see how fast you could get out of bed, grasp Amoracchius and answer the door. Do you want to clue me in or should I ask the tall dark stranger sitting on the sofa?"

Karin was all of five foot nothing, with a great figure, the deepest blue eyes I've ever seen with soft curly blond hair that just kissed her shoulders. She was quite a contrast for my tall thin six-foot frame. I was sporting longer dark brown hair than when I lived in Paris, with a neatly trimmed goatee and moustache. Ok we were not getting any prizes for the best-twinned couple in Chicago.

I sighed trying to dodge two bullets this morning, "Good Morning Karrin this is my old friend Duncan MacLeod, Mac this is Karrin. Sorry Karrin he is an immortal also it is a natural reaction of mine to jump up and get a sword when I get a buzz that another immortal in near." I confessed. "Plus Mac was shouting out the name Methos and my neighbors only know me As Dr. Stacy."

"What neighbors?" Mac broke in. All I was sure of was that Karrin was looking at his big brown eyes and huge chest that was rippling with muscles that his sweater only showing off all too well.

"Methos you have the whole floor to yourself! The elevator open just to your condo, and please Karrin call me Duncan," Mac beamed to Karrin with that wide sexy Highlander smile.

"Sorry Duncan if you are an old friend then you knows just how sensitive Methos happens to be about the name thing. Nice to meet you Duncan, would you like some coffee?" Karrin offered.

"I'd love a cup thank you" Mac answered so pleasantly and courteously. I guess the Spanish inquisition was out of session, now if I could get Mac to stop flirting with my girl friend!

"Methos go get dressed; you don't even have pants on; not that I don't love your legs." Karrin laughed again sarcastically.

"Listen it was a perfectly normal reaction; I just wanted to make sure I still had my head firmly attached to my body! I never know who is going to show up whenever I get that buzz. Honesty MacLeod you were last person I was expecting this morning." I took a deep breath and looked at both of them; my patience was waning and attitude was deteriorating. "Really Karrin, what wrong with my legs now?" Then pointing at the Highlander I said in a firm voice, "Mac will you stop flirting with my girlfriend! Aren't you married now anyway?" sadly I had an annoyed almost whining tone to my voice. Again things were not going according to my plans, why on earth Kronos ever thought I was the master schemer boggles my mind.

Karrin just laughed at me as she walked over to me and gripped my arm, and then went up on her tiptoes and she gave me a kiss on my cheek. "Your legs are getting too skinny, now Methos go get dressed, remember to put on a suit. After you pick up Sanya you are going to work at the Medical Center's Free Clinic and need to look all Doctor like. Plus Methos would you just stop acting like a feral cat. I will entertain Duncan while you're getting changed, and put Amoracchius away before you cut up the furniture again."

My eyes grew very wide with displeasure but not wanting to get in to another argument with Karrin I nodded my head like a good solider. Then went into the bedroom slamming the door behind me; my legs were not too skinny! Not the morning I had planned.

"So Methos mentioned that you were married Duncan." Karrin asked trying to recoup from the fiasco a moment before.

"Yes, for six years now, my wife's name is Amy and we have homes in Seacouver, New Zealand and Paris, I have her pictures on my phone. I wanted Methos to come to the wedding so he could be best man but no one knew where he was. He sort of does this disappearing act from time to time." Then handing Karrin the phone as he continued to speak. "See this is Amy and me in front of my Barge on the Seine in the shadow of Notre Dame Cathedral."

"She's lovely, you both look very happy," Karen smiled and gave the phone back to Duncan.

"Thanks we are, so Karrin how long have you known him and the bigger question still is how long is how long have known him as Methos?" Mac asked, still shocked that Karrin knew so much about me.

"Less than a year, and I found out about him being Methos and his immortally thing pretty much on the first day we met. I knew about Dr. Stacy for several months before we shared several mutual friends, but we really didn't know each other well. Still our dating relationship is pretty new, sorry Methos can be little on the jealous side too." Karrin said pulled the oversize robe tight and showed Duncan to the kitchen.

"He's already told you his real name and that he is an immortal on the first day you met him! That is quite strange he's usually much more secretive about his life. He doesn't sound like the Methos I know at all?" Mac had a sense of disbelief in his voice.

"Well, Duncan I saw him die the first day we really got to know each other. He was tossed in to brick building by a Troll, and crushed limb like a rag doll. I was starting to get upset about him being dead but then my friend Harry Dresden gave me the cliff notes on immortals. You see Duncan here in Chicago Methos was just a new kind of weird too me, nothing really that abnormal. When we started dating Methos began filling in the cliff noted on his personal history. He may be a lot older than some of the other beings I come across, but Methos doesn't dwell on the past, he tries to live in the now." Karrin smiled getting out the cream and sugar.

"WOW Methos gave you cliff notes on himself? And is acting jealous, this is unquestionably a new kind of weird for him. Methos can be scheming, conniving, deceitful, calculating, double-dealing, devious, manipulative, and wily maybe, but I have never seen him act jealous or handing out cliff notes about his life before. Did you know he didn't tell his last wife her he was immortal until just before she died?" Mac sounded even more surprised.

"Yes, you're talking about Alexa right? Well Duncan there is a lot about Methos and his life in Chicago you might be surprised about; things are different for him here. He has found a group of loyal friends too. If you came because you were worried about him don't be. For one thing he is happy here, and he told me that he hasn't been happy for a very long time. I think that coffee is done do you want a cup? We have lot of healthy breakfast stuff too. Methos is on kind of crazy health kick lately. I guess he's just doing his Doctor thing right now; when everyone knows he can't get high blood pressure or heart problems. Well we're all trying to get him to be a little less paranoid about things but I guess it's hard to shake habits he has had for thousands of years." Karrin said.

"For Methos being paranoid is more like a lifestyle I've never seen him anything but paranoid. Karrin you mention he has a group of friends now? Methos is not someone I would call a groupie, if anything he is a loner. Is he really hanging out with a solid group of friends now, like on a daily basis?" Mac continued to question Karrin. I could hear from the bedroom and it sounded like the Spanish inquisition was starting up again. The last thing I wanted was Mac to start bothering my girlfriend.

"Well I will let Methos tell you if he wants about his new life, I really shouldn't have interfered in his business Methos hates that, but I have a feeling he considerers you a close friend and trusts you. Do you want cream and sugar with that coffee?" Karen asked.

"Now that sounds more like the paranoid Methos I know!" Mac smiled finally seeing his old friend in Karrin's words.

"Did I hear that the coffee is ready?" I said in a booming voice. "Karen go get dressed, or better yet take a shower don't you have to work at the station today? I should be entertaining Mac, not you, but thank you love." I said as I leaned down to give her a kiss right on the lips. We loved kissing; I guess it's that new part of a relationship we hadn't tired of yet. I could tell she felt funny about being intimate in front of Mac because she slipped out of my arms and off to the bedroom as fast as she could. It wasn't fair I had to witness Mac kissing so many women over the years. I just smiled and sighed waved my hands and grabbed a cup and started filling it with the dark Columbian blend.

"Well Mac, so how is the old gang doing?" I asked as I stirred cream into my coffee.

**End of Chapter 1**

**Next chapter 2 **

**Mac and Methos - Seven Years Between Drinks**


	2. Chapter 2

**A Little Black Magic**

This story takes place in 2008 about four weeks after my last story _**The Wizard, the Knight and the Pragmatist**_ ends.

_**Disclaimer and Thanks**_ - The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, Highlander belongs to Panzer Davis productions.

I would like to thank my Beta reader, and friend co-writer **R.J. Bingham**, - Please keep reading his fan-fictions they are both all well written and enjoyable you will find them at - .net/u/2428181/R_J_Bingham -

I would also like to thank my new Beta reader **FerretKid (:D )** - I encourage everyone to read her fan-fictions at - .net/u/2825702/FerretKid

**Chapter 2**

**Methos and MacLeod – Over 7 Years Between Drinks**

MacLeod began revealing to me what had been happening since I had seen him last. It was hard to believe it had been over seven years since we had sat down and shared a drink. It may have seemed like a long time for the Highlander, but was a wink of an eye for myself. After refilling my coffee cup I prepared for the onslaught of MacLeod's traditional Scottish lecturing and guilt trip about my latest disappearance.

"Well, Amy and I are married now; I wanted you to be the best man, but of course no one could find you. Did you know that Joe is retired from the Watchers? He's still at the Le Blues Bar and teaches at the academy, but Joe never stopped looking for you." Mac continued without giving me a chance to respond, "Amanda owns a bar on holy ground and has a student, an ex-cop named Nick Wolfe. They fight like cats and dogs, but I think she likes him. Cassandra met a guy last year and the wedding is in June but I doubt you're be going to be invited. You do realize she's still angry at you about the whole Horsemen business." Mac pointed his finger at me and smirked but as I opened my mouth to reply he continued, "Didn't you send her a new student about a month ago, that Zander guy?"

"Yes. I hope they are getting along well?" I commented, happy to at least get a word in edge-wise. "Zander was going to put in a good word for me, but then, any improvement between Cassandra and me would be a miracle."

"True, she still hates you but Zander is a model student. Cassie said you called her out of the blue to ask her to take him on. Honestly, if Zander hadn't explained that Doom of Damocles thing to her, she would have hung up. Cassie's a good person she wouldn't let someone else die because of you, Methos." Mac told me what he knew.

He was wrong, of course. Zander wasn't going to die because of me and the Doom of Damocles was held over both our heads. If Zander went back to his old ways the wizards would want my head too, but I wasn't informing Mac or Cassie of that, and Zander knew to keep quiet about the truth. I think the whole drama at his trial convinced Zander I wasn't someone he wanted to cross.

"Well Mac, he had to go somewhere the wizards approved and she was the best choice in this situation. I put Zander on the phone as quickly as I could and they seemed to get along from the get go."

"They seem to be a good match. Speaking of ladies, Karrin seems very different from Alexa. Joe said that you've been confiding in her more than you have with anyone in a long time. He wanted me to ask you if he could have a copy of the cliff notes of your life that you gave her," Mac chuckled and I snorted at him. "On a more serious note, last week Amy and I were visiting her grandparents' grave in the Montparnasse Cemetery and I noticed you moved Alexa?"

At long last Mac shut up, but only with a very personal question, the nosy brat. "Yes, actually I just did move Alexa. Karrin kind of pushed me into it a bit; she thought I would feel better with Alexa closer. She was right of course. Mac, I never thought I would meet a woman like Karrin. She says it's all right for me to still be in love with Alexa, that Alexa is part of me and my heart has enough love for both of them."

"Not many women are willing to share a man's heart, even with a memory," Mac patted me on the shoulder, he lowered his dark eyes and I could see the regret in his face thinking of the women he had loved and lost.

"Well Karrin is not like most women I've known. When I'm with her I can be me, not an identity I have created. " I smiled.

Then I looked directly into Mac's eyes, "Why did you come? I told Joe I would call him. I've just been very busy between the hospital, Karrin, and this new gig. In fact, I have to pick up a friend at 10 A.M. and then I'm working at the free clinic from noon to five, then I'm meeting up with friends. Karen is a police sergeant and has a twelve hour shift today starting at noon. I was hoping we could spend a quiet morning together but I can see that's not going to happen now." I tried to conceal the irritation I was feeling by MacLeod's untimely appearance this morning and flashed him a half smile but I doubt it hid the fact I was annoyed with him.

"Methos, we were worried about you. Over seven years ago you just took off, disappeared. Yeah, I've seen you do it before but never for this long. Then, out of the blue you call Joe telling him that your sword was broken and you didn't have a replacement. No one had a clue what happened to you so Joe started doing some digging. There wasn't much to find in the Watcher's records about an Immortal named Dr. ME Stacy except he wasn't active in the game, as if that was a surprise." Mac said with a flat tone to his voice. "Joe did Google you and discovered that Dr. ME Stacy was rated one of the finest trauma surgeons in Chicago, a fact Joe found difficult to believe since you used leeches on him when he was shot." It's what Mac didn't say about the whole incident that spoke volumes.

"Yeah, the leeches were a bit out of date, I just needed to get my skills updated. In 2005 I completed my surgical residency at The University of Chicago Medical Center. I told Joe not to Google me! It was a pure invasion of my privacy." Fine I was annoyed, and it was a good thing Karrin wasn't out yet because she would accuse me of acting like a drama queen...yet again!

"Well Joe thought he had a right to since you didn't call him back. We thought the worst, like maybe someone had finally taken your head."

"After 5,000 years you still think I'm an easy mark, just because I don't have bloody Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod babysitting me? As you can see my head is still firmly attached." I yelled as I pointed with both hands to my neck.

"Methos, you know it's not like that! It's that things went pretty sour between Joe and you before you left. I've never seen you two argue like you did back then."

I already told Joe I didn't leave because of him; I wanted a fresh start, off the grid. I just didn't want to be involved with any Watchers or other Immortals. Hell Mac, I just needed new life, Adam Pierson had out lived his usefulness. It was working too, until I met a certain wizard named Harry Dresden." I confessed to Mac.

"See that is why we're worried, there are no wizards. What is this about the Knights of the Cross? You don't even believe in religion, you're a pragmatist!"

"Not religion Mac, magic and archangels. I can't say I believe in the one God almighty in the Christian sense, but I am in a bizarre position these days. It's all very complicated." Then changing the subject completely I asked Mac, "You want some oatmeal? As a doctor I can tell you it's good for you." I said as the phone rang. "Excuse me I have to get this call," I picked up the phone, knowing it was Harry from the caller ID, but I wanted to change the subject with Mac, so even talking to him was preferable at this point.

"Yes Harry, no you didn't wake me up. I have caller ID. I have to pick up Sanya soon, so if you could cut to the chase." Mac watched me, listening and taking it all in. "Harry, after I pick up Sanya I am going to be at the Free Clinic so I will not be around until at least five or six tonight." Mac sat in silence waiting on me. "Harry stop being a bloody ass, and tell Bob to mind his own business. Okay, I'll bring him to McAnally's for dinner and drinks at 6pm. Good-bye you bloody damn wizard!" I hung up the phone with a slam. Apparently, Bob had told Harry I had an Immortal visitor and Harry wanted to meet him. Crap news travels fast and nothing is secret in this town.

I cooked the oatmeal and served Mac and myself. I picked at it, and we mostly had small talk about what Mac had been up to for the past seven years, what Mac thought about my Condo, and my life as a Doctor. When Karrin ran out in her uniform, guns in their holsters, I offered her oatmeal and she said I should have had steak and eggs.

"Methos let me fix your tie. There, now you look great - tired - but still the best looking doctor at the clinic. Now will you eat something before you go? Do you have another one of your headaches?" Karrin probed, looking for answers.

"I will be the _only_ doctor at the clinic today and I'm fine, I'm just not hungry. Where are you going so early? I thought your shift started at noon."

Of course I knew how to do my own necktie, but Karrin always seemed to like to fix people. After 5,000 years there wasn't much I hadn't mastered, except for my chronic cynical attitude, which Karrin had no hope of fixing. So I constructed a little white lie, I let her think I needed a little help with my necktie. this was easy as I had based most of my mortal identities on clumsy buffoons who couldn't tie their shoelaces, much less a necktie. I was used to being viewed as someone incapable, who the others would never suspect of being the oldest Immortal alive.

"I'm going to meet Dresden at I HOP before work," Karrin announced.

"Funny, Harry just called and didn't mention you were meeting him at IHOP," I shot back at her.

"Methos, stop acting strange, you know Harry and I are friends. Now, we to need to discuss the car situation. You should take my Saturn and I'll take the convertible, since it only seats two. Harry will just crap out my car again, and I know you don't mind paying the repair bills, but I do."

I ran my hands through my hair and looked up at the ceiling, then gave Karrin a half smile and she knew I was annoyed again. "Perfect, just perfect whatever you want to do. But please call me when you get a chance, and maybe we can meet at the gym tomorrow after you've had some rest." I tried to not sound as annoyed but Karrin always saw through my facade of my emotions like it was a veil. In the short time we've been together she has learned how to read me like a book. I loved her like crazy and our chemistry was very deep and very combustible.

"It was nice to meet you Duncan." Karrin said as she shook his hand, hers looked so small in the Highlander's. "Methos, can you walk me to the elevator?" She took my hand in hers, squeezing it tightly as if to say, "come along with me."

"Mac, I'll be right back, make yourself at home. Better yet, call Joe and tell him I'm fine and you will be on the next flight to Paris." I flashed him a half smile as I walked with Karrin down the short hallway to my private elevator.

"Methos, you need to calm down, you're acting like a nervous cat today. Is it because of MacLeod? I thought he was your friend so what's the problem?" Sometimes Karrin was worse than anyone I had met at the Spanish Inquisition, for getting information out of me.

"He has a Watcher and they probably came to Chicago too. Since Joe retired, it obviously won't be him but might be someone I worked with when I lived in Paris. It's a complication I don't want or need. And to top it off, Mac's had more beautiful women in the years I have known him than I have had most of my life, and you won't let me kiss you in front of him!" Oh my all the gods! This honesty thing is going to get me killed; _damn it, Amoracchius_. Sometimes that sword was changing me in ways I couldn't control. I turned my face from Karrin's and counted the ceiling tiles.

"Oh, look at me when I talk to you!" Karrin said and I lowered my eyes to connect with hers. Bugger I had yet again put my foot in my mouth.

"I will not be part of a macho pissing contest between you and your old Immortal buddy. What we have is between us and it's not anyone else's business. Methos don't cheapen it with theatrics. I told you never to handle me, when are you going to remember that?"

I broke her gaze again and decided to study the floor tiles. I couldn't look her in the eyes because she was right; this woman was my equal in almost every way. Karen touched my chin and drew it up so my eyes were looking in to hers. An apology was in order.

"I'm sorry Karrin, you know I can act like an ass at times." I said.

"At times?" Karrin gave me an elfish smile. "Okay, we're both still getting used to each other, I'm sorry. Now kiss me, you ass."

I took her in my arms and gave her a proper kiss and she melted into my embrace, I wished we could have stayed there all day, but we both had things to do so I released her after a few moments.

"I love you, be careful, it's a big bad city out there." I said.

"Stop being such a drama queen. I'll call you later Methos. Have fun with your friend, and I love you too. I am sure the cover story you wrote for Dr. Stacy will hold like a steel trap. Try to smile and eat something!" She said as she got on the elevator.

Mac was spying on us out the front door, and he was laughing. "Methos, I like this woman you're dating, she's got balls."

"Gee Mac I'm thrilled, I was just waiting for your stamp of approval. Now, I need to know if your Watcher followed you here, because they do not know where I am. If being around you is going to out me, we are going to part company right now."

"Amy said she'd use her connections to delay my Watcher by telling them I was going to NYC to attend an antiques auction, I made hotel reservations there, then I changed airlines and flew to Chicago. Hopefully my new Watcher is still in NYC."

"Who's your new Watcher, Mac? Dr. Stacy has held up well for over seven years but I don't need some guy who knew Adam Pierson to show up and mess everything up for me. Not to mention, you and Dr. Stacey have never met."

"Relax Methos, my Watcher is a young guy, a Princeton grad, and so far he has been fairly easy to dump." Mac tried to reassure me. "So how did you construct Dr. Stacy while you were still at the Watchers? This has got to be a good story!"

"Well, at the end of World War Two, Benjamin Adams was liberated from Auschwitz," I began to tell Mac without really thinking. This being honest with people was something new to me and I blamed of the magic in the sword Amoracchius for it.

"Wait a minute Methos, you're telling me you were in a Nazi Death Camp? How the hell did you end up there?" Mac looked at me with those deep brown Scottish eyes with a glint of compassion in them.

I looked at the ceiling again, bloody hell the cat was out of the bag, _thanks again Amoracchius_, I thought sarcastically. "Well Mac I was in the French Resistance, was caught in the early spring of 1944, and sent there." I swallowed. I didn't like giving out information like this but somehow because of that blasted sword, my life had become more of an open book.

"I was in the French Resistance too, how did we never meet?"

"We crossed paths in London, at the Savoy you with with a very beautiful woman, a A merican reporter. We sensed each other and stayed clear. I found out it was you when I read your Chronicle."

Mac gave me a cross look he hadn't thought of Diane Terrin in since Mary was born.

"Hey, I was a Watcher! It's not like I didn't have access to it!"

"You mean Spring 1940? Methos, you're a son of a bitch and a snoop, but yeah I remember feeling an Immortal in the room but only seeing a tall thin guy hiding his face with a beret. I should have known that was you! You are the only sneaky bastard I know like that! And what gave you the right to read my Chronicle?" Mac shot back at me still angry at me for being up the old memories of a lost love.

"Kalas did. I needed to know if you really were the Immortal Joe told me about. I wasn't about to offer my head to just anyone, I had to see what it meant to be Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, so I read your chronicle to find out if what Joe said was true."

I looked at Duncan and I knew he had questions and I was determined I wouldn't give him too many answers.

"Methos, that kind of puts a new spin on why you offered me your head that night in Paris. If you read my chronicles, were you serious or did you know I wouldn't take your Quickening?" Mac voice almost cracked with emotion as he looked in my eyes.

I didn't want to answer that question. "Duncan let's get back to what we were talking about."

"Methos, just for once will you stop dodging every question I ask?"

"Mac, what do you think?" I shot back at him, my voice strained with the passion of the moment. "When I have a sword at my neck I take it seriously no matter what I have read in someone's chronicle. If you live long enough you'll find out everyone can change their spots if the prize is large enough. So yes, Mac, the thought did cross my mind you just might do it." I rubbed my neck with my knuckles as if I still felt Mac's Katana pressed against it, as I finished my sentence. I just wished my head would stop throbbing.

"Methos, you were a friend of Joe's, you read my Chronicle, and I don't take heads of unarmed men!" Mac pointed his fingers at me and fixed his dark brown eyes on me. I could feel him looking into my very soul. For emphasis Mac repeated his first statement. "You know I don't take the heads of a unarmed men, even if they offer it to me! Honestly Methos, it's just like you to think the worst. But what else should I expect from the man who was once called Death?"

"Fine Mac, believe whatever helps you sleep at night. Can we just get back to my story, or do you really want to rehash the past fifteen years?" Bugger, it was bloody charming how MacLeod could get under my skin.

"I sleep like a wee newborn babe. You're the jackass who jumped out of bed half naked this morning acting like I was the Kurgan," Mac smiled. "So tell me Methos, how did you pull off being your own student?" He chuckled.

I ignored his insult and composed myself, took a deep breath while shaking my head and continued my story.

"Dr. ME Stacy who was a new Immortal, found Benjamin Adams when Auschwitz was liberated near the end of the war. Dr. Stacy became immortal during World War Two but never accepted what had happened to him. He knew he had died; everyone in his patrol was shot in the back of the head, executed by the Nazis that captured them. But, he woke up finding his patrol in a ditch and he was the only one still breathing. After reporting back to his commander, the good doctor just talked himself out of what happened. When he found Benjamin Adams at the concentration camp Adams was emaciated and feared for his life seeing the other Immortal. But it soon became apparent that Dr. Stacey did not understand what he was. Adams befriended Dr. Stacy and offered to become his teacher. Then, after the war Dr. Stacy took Benjamin Adams back to his family estates in the UK. The two men looked somewhat alike, around six feet tall, slender athletic build, distinguished profile."

"You mean the Watchers noticed both men were tall, skinny, and had big noses," Mac laughed.

I ignored Duncan, and with a roll of my eyes continued. "So Benjamin Adams took this to his advantage and did not discourage the Watchers from thinking he and Stacy were the same man. There really was a Dr. Stacy who was adopted by the Stacy family in 1917 and went Missing in Action in World War Two. A watcher, Billy Dearth who was killed in an auto accident shortly after getting out of the service, is said to be the author of the Chronicles. The truth is that I wrote the Stacey Chronicles about 1990 and added them to some other genuine old World War Two Chronicles I found erroneously misplaced in the basement of the Shakespeare and Company."

"Methos, did you know Dearth?" Mac shook his head at me in disbelief.

"Yeah, Billy was a contact I met in London who helped me smuggle a bunch of people away from the Germans in 42. I noticed he had a Watcher tattoo so I filed the information away for later if I needed it."

"Just like you never miss an opportunity" Mac gave me a nasty look.

"Billy died in 49, I couldn't have saved him. Duncan, sometimes people just die, so I used his name to pen Dr. Stacy's Chronicles to create an identity for myself someday." As unhappy as the Highlander might be about me writing a fake Chronicle, we both understood the necessity for it.

I continued my story "Dr. Stacy first died when he was 26 years old in 1943. His first teacher was Benjamin Adams who was later revised, thanks to saving your wife's life, to being Methos." Mac gave me another nasty look. "In 2000 Dr. Stacy had to flee to America because several headhunters confused him with being Methos. Stacy then moved to Chicago, and finished his surgical residency before becoming a full time doctor here. That's about the long and short of it Mac." I took a deep breath after saying all that. I waited to see what he thought of my story. Knowing Mac, he would say something philosophical and profound, and designed to bloody well annoy to me!

"Sometimes I don't know when you're telling me a lie or the truth," Mac replied.

"Well, that has always been part of my charm."

"I don't care what anyone says, you haven't changed one bit Methos."

"Well fine, MacLeod, maybe I haven't." I only wished that was the truth because soon Mac was going to see just exactly how much I have changed. "Enough talk, grab your coat. We have to drive to a private airfield to pick up a friend of mine. I just hope you're right and your Watcher is still in New York, or we are going to have some real problems."

Mac smirked and just shook his head at me. I knew if we didn't get going soon we'd be late for my next appointment. All I wanted to do was get on the elevator and onto my next adventure in this day from hell. "I need to make sure Karrin gets herself a different car, driving this four door Saturn is going to kill me. Even the Volvo wagon I had to drive as piss ass grad student was better than this car."

"You will never change Methos," Mac said as laughed and gave me his wide Sottish smile, as we exited the elevator and walked towards my parking places in the garage under my high-rise.

It had been over seven years since I last seen the Highlander but Mac had no idea how wrong he was. _Thanks again Amoracchius_, I thought sarcastically as I got the keys to the Saturn out.

**End of Chapter two**

**Chapter Three**

**Methos and trouble with Gentleman Johnny Marcone!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A Little Black Magic **

This story tales place in 2008 about four weeks after my last story _**The Wizard, the Knight and the Pragmatist**_ ends. It is written in the first person with Methos telling us the story.

_**Disclaimer - **_The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, Highlander belongs to Panzer Davis productions

_**Thanks**_- I wish to thank my Beta Reader** RJ Bingham**. I encourage everyone to read his stories can be found at = /u/2428181/R_J_Bingham

I would like to thank my new co-writer and Beta reader **Ferretkid** - I encourage everyone to read her fan-fictions at = /u/2825702/FerretKid

**Chapter 3**

**Methos Meets Gentleman Johnny Marcone!**

"So what's the big problem with me having a Watcher, doesn't Dr. Stacy have a Watcher?" Mac asked we got in to Karrin's Saturn.

"Of course I do, but all I ever do is work at the hospital, so they reassigned me to a Watcher that handles a group of Immortals who are not active in the game. Frankly, I was just too boring for any one person to watch. I may be an Immortal, but I'm a regular guy who just goes to work every day. The Watchers haven't seen Dr. Stacey in a sword fight since 1954."

"Which we both know is untrue," Mac smiled back.

"Well, when I first came to Chicago I had three challenges, but the records say that Benjamin Adams, who was visiting me, took the heads. Since we look a lot alike who was I to correct them? The local Immortals, on the other hand, know it was Dr. Stacy, so they leave me alone."

"Methos, why do they leave you alone because of three fights? That never worked for me."

"Duncan, you're a man of chivalry, you know I am not. I just showed them that I didn't want to fight, but if they pushed me I would survive at any cost." I gave him a smile and changed the subject. I didn't want Mac to think too hard on what 'any cost' meant. "I've been laying low, but I did take a head less than a year ago. It was one of those situations I couldn't avoid, he wouldn't take no for an answer." I told Mac. "I have to be careful, my new gig can get a little high profile so that's a problem. Here, take a look at Amoracchius while I drive. Oh by the way, how is your Russian, Mac?"

"My Russian? It's still good I guess, why did you ask? Methos what is this new gig you keep talking about, and why does your sword have the name Amoracchius? You told Joe it was Excalibur."

"Same sword, just has a nail from the Cross of Christ in the hilt. Hey! Watch taking Amoracchius out of the scabbard, this is a Saturn not a Hummer! The sword's almost as long as the Clan MacLeod Claymore and I haven't lived 5,000 years to get beheaded by a speed bump!"

"Methos, you have got to be kidding me there is a nail in the hilt." Mac shook his head in a disapproving manner and gave me that look he reserves for when he thinks I'm telling him a wild story - one I completely made up.

"No, Mac I am telling you the truth, scouts honor."

"Yeah, like you were ever a Boy Scout!"

"No, but back in the good old days, during the Second Boer War in South Africa 1899, I met Baden-Powell. We used to exchange military strategies. Later he wrote _Scouting for Boys _ and the American Boy Scouts were based on the group he started in the UK."

"Methos!" MacLeod yelled at me in disbelief.

"Fine, back to the sword. She was Excalibur once, but now her name is Amoracchius. She is one of the three swords of the Knights of the Cross, and a very powerful weapon if used by the right hands. When I use her against someone who will not renounce evil, her blade turns to fire and will burn them with the fire of righteousness. I know Mac, I sound like I've gone completely off my rocker. We're picking up the other Knight of the Cross, Sanya. He wields Espercchius the Sword of Hope. It has the form of a heavy cavalry saber." I tried to explain as I revved up all four cylinders of the economy Saturn and sputtered out on to the busy streets of downtown Chicago. In what universe did it say that when you dated someone you must exchange vehicles with them? _Bloody hell, I have to talk Karrin into getting a different set of wheels!_

"You're right Methos, you sound crazy but I'll play. Who has the third sword?" Mac asked.

I refocused back to telling Mac about the Swords of the Cross "No one. We are still waiting for its Knight to be found. That sword is Fidelacchius, the Sword of Faith. It's a Katana with a water-patterned steel blade and a wooden-cane scabbard, formerly possessed by Shiro Yoshimo but he was murdered before I had a chance to meet him. Shiro was mentor to both of the Knights before me." I said with a sad tone to my voice.

"So Methos, who picks these Knights?" Mac asked curiously.

I started laughing and answered. "Harry Dresden, my wizard friend, picks the Knights, then one of the archangels speaks to them and asks them to take up the mantle of a Knight of the Cross. When it happened to me, the archangel and I put a time limit on my service because I am an Immortal. After that time, it's up to me whether or not to re-up my contract. Mac, I know it sounds insane but it's all true."

"So Espercchius is the Sword of Hope, Fidelacchius the Sword of Faith, what is Amoracchius?" Mac asked.

I took a deep breath, and said "Amoracchius is the Sword of Love. Damn it, it has changed me too. I am different ever since I picked up that damn sword, I can't explain it Duncan, but I am different now. This morning was the first time in a long time that I felt as paranoid as I used to. Normally, I'm calm, almost relaxed, and I feel almost human again." I confessed as I got on the loop and headed out of the city.

"You calm! Methos, when I arrived this morning you were acting perfectly normal to me, and when weren't you paranoid?" Mac laughed.

"MacLeod, you were right, you didn't know me, not the real me. A lot of what I said and did was a cover-up that made my life easier to deal with, and yes most of the time I was manipulating you. With your sense of chivalry it wasn't that difficult."

"I knew it! You planned for me to kill Kronos from the beginning right?" Mac cried out.

"For once Mac shut up and just listen, I am trying to bare my soul to you and you're still whining about the Horsemen, and that was over eleven years ago! Macleod, it's time for you to just get over it. But your not the type to get over things, I found that out when Kristen came to town. Oh just forget it Mac, trying to talk to you is useless." OK now I was annoyed, how many times had I listened to Mac dump on me? Hundreds? I want to talk to him just once, and he goes off whining about the Horsemen for the billionth time.

"Well, you act like a sarcastic bastard most of the time, we were all sure you didn't have much of a heart, then when you met Alexa I saw a different side of you. Then Kronos showed up and we all started to question your motives again Methos. I really have never been sure who or what you were, except for the fact you were always my friend." Mac put his hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at him, "thanks for saying that. What I was going to say was most of the time I didn't even feel human any more, just a freak that lived forever and was afraid to die. Some things in my life are changing since I took up Amoracchius. For one thing, I have an Archangel who talks to me. That how the Knights get some of their information on what needs to be done. We still have free will as to whether or not to do what the Archangel has asked of us, but usually there are not too many loopholes I can use to get out of a job." OK I told him. Now was Mac going to buy it?

"METHOS, keep your eyes on the road! Honestly you're telling me that you're talking to Archangels, don't you think that's a little crazy?" Mac looked at me with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

I pulled off the highway and on the road towards the airfield. Charming. Of course Mac didn't believe I spoke with Archangels, some days I couldn't believe it myself.

"Yes I do, but it doesn't change the facts. Duncan, please don't ask me to make an Archangel appear either because I can't just summon him up. He does drop by every now and then, but at their pleasure not mine." I tried not to look crazy. "Enough chit chat, Sanya can back up my story so I don't sound like I am a complete lunatic."

I drove Karrin's Saturn to the private airfield where my jet was landing. Sanya was returning from Cuba where he had a run in with one of the Order of the Blackened Denarians, unfortunately they had gotten away. I should have gone with him, but Sanya insisted he go alone because I was still a Knight in training. That would not be the way things happened next time, the Knights needed to work together in order to gain the victories we needed.

I stopped at the guard shack at the gate; they knew me as one of the private customers, one of a very exclusive list that kept planes here.

"Good Morning Dr. Stacy. What happened to that shiny black classic Porsche?" The guard smirked.

"Sam you know it only seats two, this is just a loaner." I jested back at the guard.

"Yeah, I have seen that cop girlfriend of yours pick you up in that car, it's a classic, all the wealthy clients collect them," the guard chuckled back. Then he added, "Sorry to break your stones Doc, but you got company this morning." He pointed to the client parking lot and the black stretch limo with the license plate "2City #1."

The plate stood for Second City, a popular nickname for Chicago used by a 1950s _New Yorker_ article, calling Chicago the country's second major city. The phrase was later appropriated by a Chicago comedy troupe that became the famous Second City TV. I immediately recognized it as Marcone's plate for his personal limo.

I had bought Dresden a vanity plate for Christmas, and the damn fool chose "BlueBug." How very original! Looked great on that beat up, piece of junk, multicolor VW Beetle of his! My Porsche's license plate said "ParisPrie," which stood for another famous Chicago nickname "Paris on the Prairie" - from the 1909 plan for the City of Chicago created by Daniel Burnham.

I knew Daniel and had worked with him on the city plans, so the nickname was extra special to me. Besides, my plate was far more classy than Marcone's, only he would use plate phrased after a TV show. Buggers, I hate pretentious crime bosses and wizards.

"Thank for the heads up Sam, hey at least these wheels are better than the 85 Mustang you drive." I really wasn't thrilled to see a large black limo waiting for its owner to land.

"Doc, that Mustang's a classic! But don't check the employee parking 'cause I got my wife's Ford Tarsus today. Women, I guess they all got us by the balls!" Sam the guard smiled as he waved us thorough the gate.

"_How true," _I thought to myself. _"When did I lose charge of my relationship? Is being a Knight making me in to a wimp? Bloody NO!" _As soon as I got through this day from hell, Karrin and I needed to have a talk.

The airfield looked more like a military base than a small private airport.

"Nice airfield Methos!" Mac said, as I parked the car.

"Thanks Mac, it's restricted to patrons who can anti-up the large fees the ask for, no customs, easy on easy off with the swords. If you know the right people, there are no questions asked." I answered my friend who looked a little shocked. "Mac, this is Chicago. The system has worked this way since the days of Al Capone. In the Knight's case, why not let it work for the side of good for a change? Sorry, I need to talk to the control tower, could you stay with the car? These people do not like strangers. It's another Chicago thing, I'll be right back."

I walked up to a small tower building with a large dish on top of it. So Mac wasn't thrilled with sitting in the car, but the guys who worked at the airfield all knew me, I paid my bills, and all the employees carried guns. Privacy was bought and sold here and, as I said, they didn't like strangers.

Once inside, I made my greetings and asked why my jet hadn't landed yet. The tower guys told me it was circling because Mr. Marcone's plane had priority in landing and it was due in soon. They apologized, but no matter how much I paid, Marcone was The Boss in Chicago and I had to wait. So I went back to my car. I could do nothing about the situation.

Mac could see I was angry. "Methos what's up?" he asked.

"I'm getting a major headache again. Sanya is stuck in the air because "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone, who controls the majority of organized crime in Chicago, is holding up my jet. To top it off, besides being a mob boss, Mr. Marcone is a Freeholding Lord and Baron of Chicago under the Unseelie Accords." I told Mac. I was still fuming.

"OK, what are the Unseelie Accords?" Mac innocently asked. Damn it, I was getting so used to Chicago and its magical sub-culture that I forgot Mac wouldn't know the difference between an Archangel, and the Unseelie Accords.

"Sorry Mac. The Unseelie Accords are a set of agreements like the Geneva Convention that govern behavior between its signatories, who are the major powers of the magical world. The Accords include protocols for etiquette, hospitality, formal duels, and neutral ground, among other things. The Knights are not part of the Accords, which means Marcone can kind of boss us around, since he has more power in the magical community's eyes than we do. I think the Knights should be part of the Unseelie Accords, but that is something I have to take up with my bosses. Since I don't have a direct pipeline to the Archangels, who knows when I can talk to them about this." I was so frustrated I was going to be late to the clinic and now had no time to debrief Sanya.

"Methos, you really believe in this magic stuff, what happened to you?" Mac asked.

Well I had time, so I told him the story of how I met Harry Dresden and became a Knight. It took a while but Marcone's plan finally landed and mine could also. Mac was a little taken aback by the story, but I told him he was going to meet Harry tonight for dinner. I told Mac both Sanya and Harry would back up my story. Why after saving MacLeod's ass so many times did I still have to justify myself?

I was thrilled to see the man wearing the big red cross finally get off the plane. It was after 11:00 am and I wasn't happy with Marcone. I went out to greet Sanya; we hugged and then kissed each other's cheeks with Mac following my lead, while Marcone watched us.

I went in the plane and talked to the crew, thanked them for their patience, told them to refuel, set the plane up for another flight, and then they could go home. I never knew when one of us might have to leave again, so I thought it better to be safe than sorry and keep the plane ready to leave at a moment's notice. Marcone seemed to be waiting to talk to me, why I had no idea. Frankly, I was already late for work and could care less what "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone wanted.

I always spoke Russian with Sanya in public. Mac caught on really fast and joined us. It was safer that John Q Public didn't know what we were talking about. Mac was starting to enjoy the adventure, I'm sure he was feeling like he was a spy again. Agent 007 Duncan MacLeod working for MI6, thank you only in a bad dream!

Mac and Sanya seemed to get along from the first moment they met. Sanya wanted stories about what Mac and I used to do, Mac was shocked when Sanya just laughed about me being Death. I just closed my ears and hoped nothing Mac said would get back to Karrin and get me in trouble. I think they were mostly exchanging drinking stories.

Sanya asked if I was still getting the headaches that had started about three weeks ago. I asked myself - _do Immortals get headaches_? Well, I thought it was just a side effect from becoming a Knight of the Cross and gaining back my conscience, something I thought I managed to get rid of ten centuries ago. _Thank you yet again Amoracchius._

I was just about to pull out of the parking lot when I was approached by Mr. Hendricks and asked if I could join Mr. Marcone in his limo. Well, I was in a bit of a pickle. Few said no to John Marcone. Well, Dresden did on a regular basis, but that was a wizard thing. I was already late for the free clinic and I felt like I had just pulled several all-night shifts at the hospital. The last thing on my to do list was have a chat with Chicago's head mobster!

I smiled at Mr. Hendricks, asked Sanya to explain the situation to MacLeod, unbuckled my seat beat, and walked over to the limo. I held Amoracchius in my right hand and waited to be let in the limo. Mr. Hendricks said I could not bring any weapons with me.

I politely replied, "If Amoracchius can't come, neither can I."

Then I heard that distinct voice come out of the limo. "Come in Dr. Stacy and bring your sword, are you not a Knight of the Cross? You couldn't use the sword here because you would risk losing its power. Hendricks, show a little respect for the Knight, he is not a man to be trifled with. Welcome Dr. Stacy. You should have informed me I was holding up your plane and I would have allowed it to land. I apologize for the inconvenience, I am glad to see the Knights are able to use better resources, such as private jets, since you joined their ranks." John Marcone looked right at me as he said this.

"Thank you Mr. Marcone, in the future if the circumstance arises, I will do that. I am sorry I can't stay as I have an obligation to work at the University of Chicago Medical Center's Free Clinic at Noon, and as it's past 11:30, I am going to be late." I spoke with all the respect I could muster.

"Then let me take you in my limo. I can get you there faster than your friends can in Sergeant Murphy's Saturn. I know the city needs one of its best doctors, and we can have a chance to talk."

I really didn't like the tone of his voice, but few ever refused "Gentleman" Johnny Marcone. Again, other than Harry, and that weaseling wizard was at I-HOP, having breakfast with MY girlfriend!

Was there possibly a way this day could get worse?

**End of Chapter 3**

**Chapter 4**

**Mob Boss, Rumor Mills, and Misconceptions **


	4. Chapter 4

**A Little Black Magic **

This story tales place in 2008 about four weeks after my last story The Wizard, the Knight and the Pragmatist ends.

**Disclaimer **- The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, Highlander belongs to Panzer Davis productions.

**Thanks - **I wish to thank my Beta Reader and co-writer** RJ Bingham**. His stories can be found at .net/u/2428181/R_J_Bingham

I would also like to thank my new co-writer and Beta reader **Ferretkid** - I encourage everyone to read her fan-fictions at - .net/u/2825702/FerretKid

**Chapter 4**

**Mob Bosses, Rumor Mills, and Misconceptions**

"Mr. Marcone, I have to let my companions know, but I am sure that would be fine, thank you for the offer." I said as I picked up my cell and called Sanya.

I didn't know if Marcone spoke Russian. I hoped not. I told Sanya to take Karrin's Saturn and drive Mac to the penthouse. I would meet them back there before we went to McAnally's and met Dresden tonight. I hung up the cell, smiled at the mob boss and wondered what the hell he wanted with me.

I didn't have to wait long for Gentleman Johnny Marcone to reveal his agenda. "Dr. Stacy, I did some digging into your background, and it looked a little too perfect, so I dug around a little more and found that Dr. Merlin Edwin Stacy was declared missing in action during World War Two. In 1990 his grandson, by the same name, claimed rights to the family fortune and estates becoming a very wealthy man."

"You did this for what reason? I'm a Knight of the Cross and will stay a Knight no matter what you uncover." I looked Marcone right in the eyes wondering what Dresden saw in those same eyes when he had his soul-gaze with Marcone.

Through the centuries I had met men like Boss Marcone, many of them more powerful and self-important. If Johnny Marcone thought he could freak me out by telling me my background story wasn't kosher, he was strongly mistaken.

"Please Doctor, you have the wrong idea, I would never do that. I have no intention of disrupting your good name. I'm just curious where you fall in the supernatural community. I know you're not like the other Knights and I've heard rumors that you're a hard man to kill." Marcone had a smile on his face, and the confident look of a jackal that had just eaten. Then again, I reminded myself, jackals are scavengers. If Marcone was poking around, why shouldn't I see just how much he knew about me?

"Mr. Marcone what are asking me? You want to know who I really am? There is a simple answer to that question. I am the man who wields Amoracchius, and everything else is irrelevant." I put an arrogant tone in my voice.

"Dr. Stacy forgive me, let's not get off on the wrong foot here. I just see that you are a man of means, a man not unlike myself, and I understand why you were called to the service of the Knights. I just don't understand why the Knights don't fall under the Unseelie Accords."

"I agree that it might serve the Knights to join the Unseelie Accords but that decision is not up to me. Mr. Marcone, my bosses cannot be contacted by cell phone. When dealing with Archangels I have learned one must be patient." I tried to explain to the mobster something I truly did not understand myself.

Marcone seemed to think we have a lot in common. Yes we both liked the finer things life had to offer but I stopped having the desire to dominate every thing around me over two thousand years ago! A chill ran up my spine with the thought that Marcone and were similar. _Bugger __honestly a year ago this thought might not have offended me but lately I didn't even know who I was myself, Damn you Amoracchius_

"Have you ever heard of a race of men called Immortals Dr. Stacy?" Boss Marcone asked oh so politely.

He was too close to home. I had to think of how to answer this question so as to lead Marcone as far from the truth as possible. "Immortals you say? Could you define immortal for me Mr. Marcone?" I was dodging a bullet; I just had to hope he didn't know that.

"The ability to live forever, never age, and never die." Mr. Marcone answered his eyes boring into mine.

"Well, there are many types of immortals in the supernatural community - even wizards sometimes live well over 300 years. Vampires, Denarian, the Archangels the Fay, Demi-Gods, the Sidhe, assorted demons, and I'm sure there's at least half a dozen others if you give me a few minutes to think about it." I was trying to not sound like a smart-ass now, as I wanted to keep myself off the list.

"No, as in a race of men who live forever and are involved in something I do not understand called 'The Game.' Your friend, Duncan MacLeod, is one of these men. He also has a Mortal who follows him, called a Watcher, a group who seem to take notes on these Immortal's actions. It seems a strange practice to me. I could keep these Watchers out of your hair; I know how much you enjoy your privacy."

Marcone was pulling out all the stops and getting way too close for comfort. At least he didn't mention the name Methos.

"But I have no boon to offer you, as I am already bound to the Knights." I answered. You had to be careful what you said in the supernatural community because a promise could bind you to things you might not want to be bound to.

"I'm simply offering friendship, Dr. Stacy," countered Marcone.

"Mr. Marcone, I've already told you I have pledged my fortune and life to Amoracchius. Your offer is appreciated but I have nothing offer you in return, I am sorry about that."

I lied. I wasn't sorry at all. I didn't want to be linked to a mob boss in any way, shape, or form. Down through the eons I had worked for men like him and always regretted it.

"Then I will do it for you simply as an act of good faith. You were a good choice for a Knight, you know how to live well, plus I like your suit. It's Italian tailored and handmade, right? I like you Dr. Stacy, it's just too bad this city had to lose one of its best surgeons to the fight between good and evil."

"Well, I am able to practice medicine from time to time like today, and I see we have arrived at the clinic. Thank you for the ride, Mr. Marcone." All I could think was exit stage right as soon as I could.

"One more question Dr. Stacy, if you do not mind?" Marcone asked me, I smiled as my hand froze on the door handle. My head nodded 'yes' but my mind yelled 'hell NO!'

"Both you and the other Knight are said to be agnostic. How does a man without faith become a Knight of the Cross?"

"I am a pragmatist not an agnostic. I've found it easier to not tie myself to any one faith or religion. Mr. Marcone, I believe in Amoracchius and the other swords that the Knights wield. I myself am just a vessel the sword has chosen to use. I can offer you nothing except the promise to continue to fight evil and the Order of the Blackened Denarius."

"What more could I ask of you Dr. Stacy? Have a good day and I hope we'll talk again soon." Marcone said as I got out of the limo in front of the free clinic.

_That would be a NO! What the bloody hell was that about? He knows a lot more about me than he is saying, I bet Marcone knows I'm an Immortal, too! Oh this is just so bloody brilliant._

I tried to put a smile on my face and get back into the persona of Dr. M.E. Stacy, but I still had a huge headache. It had to have been exacerbated by the bizarre ride with Chicago's most notorious crime boss. I walked through the door of the Chicago Medical Center Free Clinic and greeted my head nurse, Polly.

"Hi Polly, I have to be out of here by 5pm, sorry I'm late, which examining room is my first patient in?" I said with a half smile and a sort of lost puppy look on my face.

Polly Williams was a middle-aged Black woman who I swear seemed like she had been a nurse since the Ice Age. No one could guess how old she was, and she kept her hair without a spot of grey in it. Polly was fairly fantastic looking for someone who was a retired army drill sergeant, I mean army nurse. After the army, she found retirement wasn't all she had hoped for and now ran the medical center's free clinic.

Polly had it running like it was a stage production and she was the choreographer. Each patient was a new act to the day's performance, with me dispensing his or her treatment and then dancing on to my next client. Everything in order, okay a few slip-ups here and there, but as far as Polly could see the slowest cog in her machine was me! It was because I was taking too much time with each patient, and slowed down her system. Then again, Polly would never admit she loved the personal touch I gave to the place by treating everyone like I was their personal physician, something almost none of the other doctors did.

"I know how you can be out of here by five, Dr. Stacy. Try moving a little faster with your patients and put that sword away. Holy Mother of God, you're one of the best in the city, but you have a sword fetish! Go down the hall to the right, treatment room three. Here are the charts of the first 20 people and the waiting room is full. I'm grateful you are finally here, sword or not." Polly smiled at me, then she stopped put her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. She knew something was different today. "Dr. Stacy are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just have a headache, it's nothing." I reassured her, but I never got headaches so it _was_ something, but I didn't have time to wonder about it with a full waiting room.

It was 3:30 when Karrin showed up at the clinic with a homeless mother and her five year-old daughter. They were half frozen from spending last night on the street. Karrin had rushed her into a treatment room so I would see them immediately.

"Sargent Murphy, why did you bring them here and not the OR?" I questioned Karrin in the hallway, so they wouldn't hear.

"They wouldn't have seen her as quickly there, Dr. Stacy. I knew you would get them treated, they might have frostbite and I think the child is dehydrated. Besides, the ER would call social services." Karrin answered me.

"Fine Sergeant Murphy, I'll get them stabilized then ship them over to the hospital. They'll be taken in, especially since I'm sending them personally." Karrin was a good cop. This was a tough call, but a good plan.

Polly walked in and laughed. "Sergeant Murphy, Dr. Stacy, honestly can the two of you please cut the crap? Everyone who works here knows you two are dating."

I gave Polly a look that would kill, while Karrin just cracked up. As usual!

Polly merely continued, "Dr. Stacy, you're one of the most eligible bachelors in Chicago. Do you really think you could keep a secret like this? By now half the city knows you have a girlfriend and who she is." Polly laughed as she turned to walk way.

I cornered my head nurse and tried to explain. "It's been less than a month, all I wanted was a little privacy. Polly, you're not spreading rumors all over the University of Chicago are you?"

"Dr. Stacy, I never spread rumors, just the facts sir, only the facts. I wanted you to meet my granddaughter too, but I can see you have eyes only for Sergeant Murphy. Besides, she's been driving that '56 Porsche to the police station. Where do you think I got my information? Honestly, how the hell could a police sergeant afford a classic Porsche in perfect condition?" Polly laughed, "I'll be back with some IV's and Doctor, don't you give me that evil glare! Personally, I'm happy for you. You work too hard, you don't take care of yourself, you need someone, and Sergeant Murphy is good people." And with that, Polly was off to get those IV's.

I put my hands on my hips and shock my head disapprovingly before I turned my attention to the short blond police officer besides me. "Karrin we have been outed, by the most gossiping nurse in Chicago."

Karrin just continued to laugh at me. She knew how much I hate being exposed; ok I had a 5,000 years habit of being a secretive SOB. This honesty thing was difficult for me to grasp. _Thank you yet again, Amoracchius!_

Seeing I was going to get nowhere with Karen or Polly I started examining my new patients. After checking over the mother I turned my attention to the little girl. First I smiled at her and told her my name, then asked the child who had wrapped herself all up in blankets, her name.

"Becky," she finally said after hesitating.

After getting "Mom's" permission I began checking her for frostbite. After that was finished, I gave Becky a new teddy bear, told her it was hers to keep forever, and then I let her listen to my heart through the stethoscope.

Karrin hadn't seen me doctoring children before. I guess it surprised her, how I played with the little girl, making the examination a game. Before anyone knew it, Becky was all smiles and laughing. She didn't even cry when I put the IV in. The child was going to be okay, she was just dehydrated and cold.

I knew it was going to be below freezing again overnight, so I ordered a night in the hospital. That was the only prescription she and her mother needed - a warm room and hot food. I asked Becky's mom to come out in the hall and asked Karrin to stay in the room with the child. Once alone, with Becky's Mother I gave her another prescription, one more of a private treatment.

"Please stay in the hospital tonight. Do not worry they will not charge you for the stay. Here is some money and the name of a priest who can help you. Miss, I've seen you here before, I know you're in trouble and you're only going to lose your daughter by staying on the streets." I said as slipped Becky's Mom my money clip full of twenties and the Father Forthill's business card.

"But Doctor, I can't, it's too much." Becky's mother protested.

"Listen, you want to keep your little girl? Then follow my prescription. FatherForthill is at St. Mary of the Angels church and he is the real deal. He'll help you get back on your feet. Just tell him Dr. Stacy sent you." I reassured the woman. She reluctantly nodded her head and took both the money clip and Father Forthill's card.

We both went back into the room and gave Becky gave me a big hug goodbye when I told her I had to check another patient. I promised I'd see her at in the hospital tomorrow before she was discharged, and we rubbed noses before I left the exam room.

I walked Karrin towards the door of the clinic to say good-bye. As we went down the hall, Karrin looked at me and said with a cautious tone in her voice "I never thought you could be so good with children. I mean, I just thought you didn't like them."

"So you thought just because I can't have children I don't like them? That's a rather large leap to make," my eyes grew wide with surprise. I knew we hadn't been together long but her statement hit me like a knife in my heart.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, and I have to get back to work." Karrin was trying to quickly shut me out and escape.

I gently tugged her hand, drawing her close. I bent to her ear so no one else could hear. "Karrin, don't be sorry. If you're not going to be honest with me, then don't be with me at all. I can see why you made that deduction. I told you I've been many things, why would you think in 5,000 years I had never been an adopted father?"

With that I walked away without looking back. Granted, the last line was cold of me and I shouldn't have done it, I was hurt and annoyed and my headache was getting worse.

A short time after Karrin left I took a coffee break in my office. Yes, I was already behind but maybe some caffeine would help relieve my aching head. As I sat at my laptop I Googled "Martian" and was very surprised at what I found. The first web site was NASA's which was no help at all. Then I found a strange cartoon charterer called Marvin the Martian, which looked nothing like me. Again no help. So I continued to look, finding one hundred and fifty five articles on whether Martians really existed or not, along with several well-known books including _War of the Worlds_. Really, this was only making my headache worse, and I still had no clue as to why Karrin kept calling me a Martian.

Concluding I was lost, Polly stuck her head in my office with one of those looks on her face that said she was about to put me on KP duty if I didn't get back to work. But after watching me a moment her expression softened.

"What the matter Dr. Stacy. You still not feeling well?"

"Sorry, I just still have a headache, Polly," I hesitated then took a deep breath. If there was a woman on God's green earth I trusted, it was Nurse Polly. "Can I ask you a question Polly?"

"Anything to get you back to work Doctor," she replied.

"Karrin keeps calling me a Martian. I Googled it and I still don't have a clue what she's talking about, and frankly I'm too embarrassed to ask her, can you tell me what it means?"

Polly gave me one of those looks as if I was going to be put in front of a firing squad, then burst out laughing! "Edwin you are a wonderful doctor, and a good man, but in this case I think Sergeant Murphy is right, you can be a real Martian sometimes! Now, unless you intend to stay here all night, I will get you two aspirin and give you one minute to get back out on the floor. Holy Mother of God! This why I live alone!"

I stared after Polly, flabbergasted. She never called me Edwin! Next thing I knew, Polly brought me the aspirin, shooed me out of the office and before I knew it I was back to work. I was never going to know about this Martian business unless I asked Karen myself and I wasn't sure I was prepared to do that.

It was five minutes past five when I realized I needed to leave, and there were more people yet to be seen. I called my condo and told Sanya and Mac to take Karrin's car and meet me at McAnally's since I was late. I was mad at myself because I had probably upset Karrin earlier. One would think that after 5,000 years I would have learned something about women, but sadly no. I left a message on her voicemail, apologizing. My damn pride had gotten in the way again. At this point I just wanted to finish the day, get to McAnally's, and get drunk.

I knew Karrin was working until Midnight, and since I had Sanya and Mac staying at my place, she would go to sleep at her house. I only hoped Karrin wasn't completely pissed at me and would keep our workout date tomorrow. On the upside, I was free to get drunk off my ass tonight.

It was twenty after six when Polly finally locked the clinic's doors.

I wanted to go home for a shower and change in to my jeans and a nice bulky sweater, but Dresden had already gotten Sanya to leave several annoying messages. I walked Polly to her car and waited until she drove off.

The cold March air nearly froze me to the bone as I tried to wrap Amoracchius up in my trench coat, and hailed a cab. As the cab pulled over and I felt for my money clip then I remembered I had given it to Becky's mother! I had to let this cab go and walk across street and down the block to find an ATM. Nothing was going to be easy tonight! I thanked the gods I hadn't recently been near Dresden; my plastic card withdrew the funds that I needed. I loved modern technology.

Suddenly my cell phone was ringing again. I flipped it open, looked at the caller ID and yelled, "WHAT NOW SANYA?"

"I guess you're on your way. Harry keeps asking me to call you." Came the familiar Russian voice.

"Charming. Tell Dresden I got the last three messages, I am in the process of hailing a cab and I'm getting bloody well drunk when I get there. It's been a bugger of a day. You still have MacLeod with you?"

"Da, Mac is telling us many funny stories about when you and he lived in Paris. Hurry up Methos, I still haven't told you about Cuba!" Sayna laughed.

"Leave some beer for me! Do svidaniya" I said to Sayna.

Freezing in the unseasonably cold March night I held Amoracchius wrapped in my trench coat and tried to hail a second cab. The wind bit through my suit like I was wearing practically nothing and I was now beyond freezing. I put my trench coat back on I no longer cared if the cabbies saw I was carrying a very large sword. _Sometime hauling around Amoracchius was damn annoying! _After about five more attempts finally a cab stopped.

"Do you know where McAnally's Pub is?" I asked the driver.

"What do you got their mister, a weird walking stick?" The cab driver asked.

"It's a sword, I have a permit to carry it, you want to see it?" I answered in a grumpy tone. "Now, do you know where McAnally's Pub is?"

"Sure I do, it's the bar where all the weirdo's hang out on the other side of town. Hey, I don't care what kind of strange stuff you're into mister just as long as you got the money to pay the fare." The cab driver shot back at me.

I pealed off a couple fresh twenties off the small stack I had taken from the ATM. "There's a tip in it for you if you will one, turn up the heat and two, make it there in under twenty minutes."

The cab sped off into the cold Chicago night and my headache only seemed to grow worse.

**End of Chapter 4**

**Chapter 5**

**The Mystery Revealed**


	5. Chapter 5

**A Little Black Magic**

This story tales place in 2008 four weeks after my last story _**The Wizard, the Knight and the Pragmatist**_ ends.

_**Disclaimer**_ - The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, Highlander belongs to Panzer Davis productions.

I wish to thank my Beta Reader **RJ Bingham**. I would encourage everyone to go read his stories, They can be found at .net/u/2428181/R_J_Bingham -

I would also like to thank my new co-writer and Beta reader **Ferretkid** - I encourage everyone to read her fan-fictions at - .net/u/2825702/FerretKid

**Chapter 5 - The Mystery Revealed**

I entered McAnally's Pub and quickly scanned the crowd to locate Dresden, Sayna, and the Highlander. I removed my overcoat and realized how terribly overdressed I was. Harry was in his usual worn out jeans and a dreadful old Splatter-Con tee shirt. Sayna was in his typical black from head to toe and even Mac had dressed down, wearing old jeans and that cream colored sweater I used to borrow from him on a regular basis. They were all laughing, finishing up their steak dinners and enjoying McAnally's wonderful micro-brews.

I walked up to the happy group and grabbed a seat, asking McAnally for the usual. Harry began acting like he was narrating a fashion show.

"Now entering the pub we have the typical rich doctor type with an over-inflated ego, long life line, and who steals all the best women in Chicago."

"Harry, if you were only going to insult me why did you keep calling and bugging me to hurry up and get here?" I asked him. "Besides Karrin and I had a fight"

"Oh yeah? Great! What did you fight about this time, Doc?" Harry asked with a little too much amusement in his voice.

"Karrin thinks I don't like children." The zinger she delivered to me this afternoon had felt like getting stabbed in the back. I tried to hide the grief her statement caused me. _ Under normal circumstances this wouldn't faze me a bit! Sure I love her, but this is only one of thousands of lifetimes. I know in a moment of time she'll be gone and her words will be buried with her. But because of bloody Amoracchius I do care. Dammit, thank you again, Rafael!_

MacLeod smiled with a twinkle in his eye. "Karrin's right Methos, you don't like children."

"See, I have nothing but bad press! Even one of my oldest friends doesn't know me!" I zeroed in on Mac. "MacLeod, we're in public, so it's Doc, or Edwin. PICK ONE!" The rejection I was feeling from Karrin was turning into anger to be vented and it felt good to yell.

Harry unhelpfully chirped up. "I picked Eddy because he gets testy when I call him Merlin."

"Thanks for nothing, Harry! It's Edwin. Do I look like an Eddy? Never in the past 5,000 years have I been an Eddy! I didn't have time to go home and change either, so please no one spill beer on me." I ended with an irritated mutter.

"Nice suit Methos, I mean Eddy." MacLeod chuckled getting in to step with Harry. "I bet that cost a lot."

"Eddy, I like MacLeod. I just don't understand how you two were close friends and just for the record I didn't think you liked kids either." Harry put in his two cents again.

"Da, I agree with Harry." Sanya concurred in his thick Russian accent, "You don't like children. I've never seen you with a child Eddy."

"None of you know me! You know, I can take a joke as well as anyone, but STOP CALLING ME EDDY! I just wanted to get drunk, and now I've lost my appetite too." I just looked at the steak McAnally had just placed in front of me and felt sick. The headache was worse. I pushed my dinner away and gave my companions a disgusted look

"MacLeod, can one of you guys get sick?" Harry asked.

"No, not really. He always was tall and thin, but he doesn't look good." MacLeod informed the group.

"Da, I agree he doesn't look so good, and he acting strange too. That's why I went to Cuba alone. I didn't think he should go in his condition." Sayna added

"Great, now you stop calling me Eddy but talk about me like I'm not even in the room! Come on guys get off my case, I just have this damn headache which will not go away." I griped at the group sitting around our table.

"Damn it, I should have been looking for this. How long ago did you fight that Warlock, Doc?" Harry suddenly turned serious.

"I don't know, four weeks ago? Maybe less. Harry, I think Marcone knows a lot more about me than he's saying." I could not stop worrying about what Marcone actually knew.

"Forget about Marcone for now. You need to be checked for black magic, psychic damage that Zander might have been tossing at you. You fought Zander for what five, six minutes before you and Amoracchius got your act together? Now you're behaving differently, not eating and you have a headache too. No, this is not good." Harry explained. "MacLeod, do you know if a wizard had ever looked at an Immortal with his Third Eye, his Wizard Sight?"

"Harry, I don't even know what you're talking about," MacLeod answered. "Until tonight I didn't believe in wizards."

Harry looked straight at me and stated, "I was avoiding looking at you with my Sight because when I look at something very old it's not a often a good experience. Plus what ever I see with my third eye stays with me forever. OK gang, this party is breaking up and we are all going to my place."

"No I'm not. I want a hot shower, I want my warm bed and central heating, plus I have a guest. I'm fine. I just want to get drunk out of my mind and forget today ever happened." I could see that wasn't going to happen. "Harry you don't want to look at me with your Sight, some mornings I don't even want to look at myself in the mirror. I've been around a long time, it might be like the picture of Dorian Gray." Now that was a concept I thought might frighten Harry enough to forget about the whole thing.

"No Doc, you're not going to be like Dorian Gray. Besides, you're an Immortal and a Knight of the Cross, so I think you have some protection, or else you would have gone insane by now," Harry answered.

"Oh great, I'm going nuts too? Thanks Harry, a perfect end to a crappy day." I said.

"Remember I warned you that Black Magic could hurt you in many ways. I think being Immortal and a Knight has lessened the effect, but it did something." Harry kept telling me.

"Can I at least get smashed before you drag me to that hole in the ground you call a home?" I asked.

"Might be a good idea, he is more cooperative when he's drunk," MacLeod added.

They let me have a lot more drinks, and they let me pay the bill too, how nice of them. Sanya, Mac, and I piled into Karrin's car and followed Dresden's Beetle to his home. On the way Karrin called, not the best time, since I was plastered and Dresden thought I might be in trouble because of the Black Magic I had been exposed to. This was going to be an interesting conversation.

"Methos, you don't have to apologize, I should have known better than to say that." Karen said.

"Karrin, I really shouldn't have reacted like that, I was an ass, and right now I'm drunk, because Dresden thinks that Warlock Zander shot me up with black magic before I got Amoracchius working and I might be going insane, so how has your night been?" I asked in an innocent tone of voice.

"Methos give me the cell phone," MacLeod yelled, as he reached back and took it from me. "Hi Karrin, it's MacLeod. We're taking Methos to Harry's place where he can do something called a Wizards Sight on him and see what's going on. Harry thinks there's a connection to Methos not eating and his headaches and it's probably black magic. So don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine. Honestly, this is all very exciting."

"Well I don't think its very exciting MacLeod. I think I can pull a few strings and get off in half an hour. I'll meet you all at Dresden's place. Please tell me whose bright idea it was to get him drunk?" she asked in an unhappy voice I could hear all the way in the back seat.

"It was my idea, Methos is more cooperative when he's drunk." Mac's voice was far too chipper. "Trust me, sober he fights you tooth and nail, but Methos is a happy drunk. Don't worry your wizard seems to know what he's doing." Then MacLeod proceeded to happily supply answers to my girlfriend's questions, many in a level of detail I would have begged him not to use if I had been less intoxicated.

"Oh wonderful!" Karrin answered in a sarcastic tone of voice. "See you all soon."

Oh great, now the little woman was coming too. How much more embarrassing could this situation possibly get? I gave into the alcohol and fell asleep.

The next thing I knew Sanya and MacLeod were waking me up and walking me down into Dresden's home. Unfortunately my Immortal physiology was sobering me up already. Damn it, I would have been much happier being drunk than being a lab rat. The moving crew set me on one of Dresden's comfy sofas, which felt good, but my headache was still getting worse. Harry brought up Bob the skull for a consultation. MacLeod was impressed; it wasn't every day you see a talking skull with glowing green eyes.

Harry was still hesitant about using his Wizard's Sight on me. I guess he hadn't looked at anything that was as old as I and not had some unpleasant picture from it. _Hey, I didn't think I looked that bad for over 5000._

Harry explained that the use of the Sight, or "third eye", allows a wizard to gaze upon the world and see its supernatural side, allowing the perception of things hidden to the normal eye. Also what ever has been seen through the use of the Sight will remain in his memory forever, and will never fade nor be forgotten.

"Methos, relax, you won't feel or see anything. It's not like the Soulgaze, I do all the gazing this time." Harry said, sounding like he was taking my picture while I was playing in the snow. Okay, I was still a little woozy.

Harry opened his Wizard's Sight and looked at me. He tried to explain to the rest of us what he was seeing, but as usual with anything involving me, it was strange.

First of all he could see lightning, a Quickening. It was already a bit overwhelming, then he looked deeper, and things got weirder. Next, Dresden saw heads that had been chopped off, so many dead people. It was like a projection machine showing many different faces, one after another, too many to count. I knew what they were immediately. They were the Immortals I had killed over the eons. I tried to tell Harry what he was seeing; it made him ill to realize how many people I had brutally beheaded. Still, there was the lightning until he finally saw just a man. Me as I as appeared to the supernatural world.

It was at that point Dresden could see what the black magic had done to me, how it had corrupted my soul. There was more to it than what he had seen in other people affected by black magic. Mine seemed to be confined to an area in my soul surrounded by light trying to contain the black magic. It must have been the work of the Archangels keeping me safe, but the dam was getting ready to break and the dark magic was trying to pour out into the rest of my soul. He had to stop it soon or it would overtake me.

Much later, and in private, Harry told me it looked as if I had been adopted into a regal lineage. He saw how my life was shattered by the violence of becoming an Immortal and how I had become a ghost of the man I was before, with a life filled with so much death. Sure, you could live forever as long as you were willing to kill to stay alive.

Harry remembered what I said last summer when he saw me take that head at Wrigley Field. "It was him or me, and I prefer to live." Now Harry finally understood what I meant.

It was one of the strangest Wizard Sights Harry had ever experienced, but he saw what he needed to. He saw that the light protecting me from the black magic was breaking down and he had to do something soon, or I would become like anyone else attacked by black magic. I would go completely insane.

It took Harry a few minutes to shake off the images he had seen, and then he asked Bob for any ideas. As for myself, I was sober again and my headache was getting worse.

After a long discussion Harry, Sayna, MacLeod, and Bob finally had an idea. Harry debated its merits but he had been dating Anastasia and her hobby was computers or rather the theory of them so he agreed with The Knight, the Scot, and the Skull that it was doable. Bob said I needed a reboot, like rebooting one's computer after it got a virus. By unplugging the computer and letting it go through all its system checks, it could most likely find the virus and eliminate it. Sort of like clearing the ram and allocate more memory to allow my Immortal physiology to work like an anti-virus program terminating the black magic.

So, they decided to kill me.

Sure, it sounded simple enough to them. Just shoot me or run me through with a sword, watch me die, and wait to see if I was okay when I woke up. But death equals pain, and I am no masochist. Not to mention, no one knew if this would work, so they could go to all the trouble of killing me, and putting me through the pain that goes with it, and I might come back and still be going insane. Buggers what a choice!

If I had a vote, it was a NO. Apparently it was three against one. Four, if you counted Bob, five if you counted Mouse. I was not a happy camper.

Just as the Three Musketeers plus Bob playing the part of D'Artagnan were deciding how to best off me, Karrin came in and added her two cents to the party. I would have walked out, but Harry had put some kind of binding spell on me so I was stuck, on a comfy sofa that Harry had bought at Goodwill, unhappy, complaining, and very grouchy. Even Adam Pierson the poor grad student didn't buy secondhand furniture. Now I was going to die on a sofa from Goodwill!

MacLeod kept saying that as far as he could see, I hadn't changed at all from the Methos he knew. I'd like to see The Highlander with a binding spell on him and the "Dream Team" planning his demise!

**End of Chapter 5**

**Chapter 6 - Methos Must Die**

While I get a rush out of just being able to write these stories I am especially thankful to any one who reads them. To EPJ III, kyuuo, oldghost, Rayven Lilith Sky, xfighter4, Calli, Anaika Skywalker, dante784, Irda, It's a lonely world, Marie-J thanks for either adding this story to their story alert list or favorite story.

And my gratitude to the people on my author alert list **- **Bricklyn, Jav-chan, lancelot-B, lovelornfool, merlin99, okami34, R.J. Bingham, Rayven Lilith Sky, sinalina, syed, Xareba

As always I am eternally grateful for anyone who took time to review this story. A writer cannot grow without input and critiques - thank you all.


	6. Chapter 6

**A Little Black Magic**

This story tales place in 2008 about four weeks after my last story _**The Wizard, the Knight and the Pragmatist**_ ends.

_**Disclaimer**_ - The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, Highlander belongs to Panzer Davis productions.

I wish to thank my old Beta Reader **RJ Bingham**. I would encourage everyone to go read his stories. They can be found at .net/u/2428181/R_J_Bingham

I would also like to thank so very much - my new Beta reader **Feritkid**. I encourage everyone to read her fan-fictions at - .net/u/2825702/FerretKid

**Chapter 6 - Methos Must Die**

When Karrin came in, she spoke right up "What's going on guys? Harry, how do you plan on curing Methos?"

That's what I love about Karrin. She doesn't spend time beating around the bush.

"They want to kill me so I can be rebooted like some damned computer." I said in the blandest voice I could muster. "But no one can decide how, or who will do the deed. Meanwhile, Dresden put a binding spell on me so I'm stuck here in this hell hole, rotting away."

Granted, I was being a little melodramatic, but Dresden always seemed to enjoy watching me die, MacLeod and Sanya were in the moment too, so my only hope was for Karrin to save me!

Dresden explained what had happened to Karrin in a little more detail. Actually, he gave the cliff-note version, and she seemed to understand the situation very quickly.

"Harry, give me your gun." She spoke with authority and Harry complied.

_I have a chance of getting out of here without dying!_ I smiled.

Karrin pulled the slide back, checking the chamber, then walked over and sat next to me on the sofa. She looked me in the eyes and smiled, leaned over and gave me a kiss, then put the barrel of the .44 right over my heart and fired. I didn't even have time to think. My heart stopped, all I felt was searing pain, then blackness.

Again, I found myself dressed in white in a white room sitting on a white chair, and standing near me was Archangel Rafael.

"Brilliant! I'm dead again, and you brought me back to heaven for another one of our warm and cozy chats." I said as I looked at Rafael. "Is this going to be a usual sort of thing, or special occasions only?"

"Oh, it's a special occasion thing. There's a policy that stipulates you can't come up here unless you're really, really dead. We just bent the rules for you, Methos, so you would feel special." He answered with a wicked smile on his face.

"So the good news is the plan worked, I'm free of the black magic and won't be going insane?" I asked, expecting a resounding 'yes.'

He didn't answer, so I repeated myself. "Right Rafael?"

"I can't say." Rafael shrugged his shoulders and gave me a smile. "We'll have to wait and find out. But, I will say you are working out well, as a Knight and we would hate to lose you. By the way, I love the jet, and the way you handled Marcone was priceless."

I stood up, grabbed the archangel by his overalls and yelled in his face. "What do you mean 'we have to wait and find out? Bloody hell, you're an archangel! What kind of operation are you running up here?"

He simply touched my shoulders and I flew in to the wall with a crash!

"OUCH! That hurt!" I screamed, more high pitched and girlie than I would have wanted, but it's not like anyone could hear me. Well, outside of this screw up of an archangel, who just kept talking as if he hadn't tossed me in the air like I was no more than a leaf in the wind!

"The idea you have about the Knights of the Cross becoming part of the Unseelie Accords wouldn't work because the Denarians are part of the Accords, and it would compromise your ability to fight them. You Knights are becoming more and more involved with the supernatural community, and that is not your purpose."

"Too bad angel boy, we are involved. Sanya and I won't stop fighting the things that go bump in the night just because you say it's not our job."

"Granted, I doubt the all host of heaven could stop you, but then again that may be one reason HE chose you. That doesn't change the fact that you do need more respect in the supernatural community, but it won't happen with the Unseelie Accords. Just know your ideas are being taken under advisement and management appreciates what you are trying to do."

Rafael got through his little speech, and then his demeanor changed. "Oh don't call me angel boy again. I am more than the Angel of Healing. I'm also known as Demon Binder, one of the chief Lieutenants of all the Archangels. I'm the bringer of messages and prophecies and, as you know, I take arduous and difficult situations onto my own shoulders - that's how I got you!" Rafael spit his words out, unsuccessfully hiding his anger.

"Fine Rafael," I rolled my eyes. I knew I wasn't going to get one ounce of respect here, but I would plead my case anyway. "You're a heavy hitter in Heaven and you're stuck with me!"

"Methos, HE wants you to be HIS Knight, I am here to aid you, not argue with you." The Archangel said, making an attempt to be gracious.

I knew an apology was in order. I mustered every ounce of cordiality I could. "I'm sorry Rafael, I'm having a difficult day and I've been a little on the grumpy side. You know Dresden said I was going insane from black magic," I smiled hoping for a truce. "So while I've got your attention, there is one more matter that's bothering me. What am I going to do about the Watchers? They want to find Methos, and it's difficult enough keeping my immortality secret without them becoming involved in Knights business, if you know what I mean?"

"Methos, listen to Karrin. You worry too much. You're our guy now and we'll protect you. Trust in Amoracchius, build a bond with her, and stop looking for problems where there are none. Have you found any benefits to taking up the mantle and becoming a Knight of the Cross?"

"Well, besides being killed because I had Black Magic in my head, and you tossing me in to a wall? No benefits found tonight, thank you very much!" I said as I waved my hand across my face.

I was mad, but Rafael gave a smile and I had to rethink my position. I took a deep breath "Okay, I'm in love again, I screw it up constantly, but it feels good to be in a relationship again. Plus there one other thing, I feel more human than I have in eons, but that's hardly a benefit." I confessed.

"Why would it not be?" Rafael asked me. "Being human is what you've always wanted."

"Because I make more mistakes than I have in thousands of years. I even have a new mantra; I'm an ass. I can't stop screwing up and I hate the feeling of doing it yet again. It was so much easier when I didn't take chances and didn't make mistakes. I was in control of my own destiny then, but now it feels like everything is spinning out of control."

"But were you really living back then, not making any mistakes? Yes, you had control, but most of the time you were alone. Is that really living? Life is just catching ourselves before we fall too hard, and you can't live if you don't take a few chances. We gave you a good team. Let Amoracchius teach you how to trust again. Trust Dresden, Sanya, Karrin, and whomever else God Almighty brings onto your path. Methos, stay the course. You're getting good reviews from the man upstairs and I am grateful to be your Archangel."

"Thanks Rafael, I don't feel like I am doing a good job! So, what you're saying is that just maybe I'm not such an ass after all?"

"Sorry, most of the time you are an ass, but it's OK. You're learning and that's what we want to see. After 5,000 years you have a lot to relearn," Rafael laughed. "Well, time to go back now. I'm sure we'll speak again soon. Peace be with you my friend."

With that, I took a hard raspy breath, coughed up some blood, and opened my eyes in Dresden's humble abode. Karrin was holding me, waiting for me to begin breathing. My expensive Italian suit was blood stained and had a hole straight through it. At least Harry's sofa had also acquired a new hole and massive blood stains, too. I put my hand over my face and closed my eyes and asked, "Did it work?"

Harry looked down at me in concern. "You were out quite a while, even MacLeod was a little worried. Methos, do you still have a headache?"

I slid my hand down to my chin and looked around, "I don't think so. No, I don't have a headache anymore Harry."

"Are you hungry?" Harry asked a second question.

"Starving."

The room erupted with cheers, everyone was hugging each other and laughing, I was just sitting on the sofa looking like I had lost a fight. "Harry can I borrow a shirt from you? This one is shot."

"Sure, I've got a sweater I think that will fit you great. Why don't we all go to IHOP? Oh, Thomas called and he's going to join us so he can meet a real Highlander. Will and Georgia are already there, saving us some seats." Harry filled in the roster for the night while I quickly got into his clean sweater.

"You could call Waldo Butters, I think he is getting off shift about now. While we're at it, why don't you invite Marcone?" I suggested in a snarky voice.

Harry gave me one of those looks then picked up his gun and pointed it at me. "So dying once wasn't enough for you in one night? Good thing you're wearing my sweater or you would find another hole in your heart. If you have a heart! Now out of my house you damn Immortal, and don't forget you owe me a couch!"

Karrin kissed me before I could reply then quietly pulled me out of the basement. We told Mac and Sanya to take her Saturn to IHOP so we could take my car.

"Karrin, thanks for shooting me. Everyone else was being a jerk about it and you know I hate dying, even if it's the right thing to do." I said as I took her hand in mine.

"Glad to be of service. Hey, what's a girlfriend for if she can't kill her man every once in a while?" Karrin laughed.

"I had another long talk with Archangel Rafael in heaven." I told her.

"Really, what did you talk about this time?"

"He said they gave me a good team, and I should trust Dresden, Sanya, and especially you, Karrin, plus whoever else God brings onto my path. I should let Amoracchius teach me how to trust again. And stay the course because I'm getting good reviews from the man upstairs." I paused, and laughed. "He also says I am an ass most of the time, but I'm getting better! Karrin, my love, I'm glad you're in my life."

"You better be!" she laughed at me. "Maybe love is hard decisions like shooting you. I didn't enjoy it, but if it helped you it was worth it in the long run. Now, how about some steaks and eggs, and then why don't you come to my place tonight? I think I even have fresh whipped cream. How about it cowboy?"

Well, she didn't have to ask me twice.

"Sure, IHOP then your place sounds like a plan. But one thing, please, please, please, can you kiss me in front of MacLeod, just once? Four hundred years he's had most of the fun and all of the good women and for once, I want to." I was a fool to ask.

"Okay, but only this once. You're wrong, you know. You are having all the fun and you have the best woman - me. Do you really like kids?" she asked.

"Yes, I like kids. I've raised seventeen families. I watched many of them grow up and get married and have children of their own. I am actually still keeping in touch with one of my adopted daughters, Gilda. She lives in a retirement center in Madison. Her mother was a spy in the French Resistance, killed by Nazis early in World War Two. After her mother died, her grandparents in America raised her until she was fifteen. It's a very long story. Next time I visit Gilda, come with me. I should have taken you to her birthday party last week, but I wasn't ready to let anyone into that part of my life yet. I'm sorry Karrin, you have to understand change is difficult for me."

"You know I plan on sticking around for a long time, Methos. Will you quit leaving things out and give me the long stories? Come on, pancakes are calling so let's go eat with everyone. After we eat, we'll go back to my place and cuddle up. Alone." Karrin held me close against her.

"Sounds like a great plan." I kissed her there, standing out in the cold Chicago night. I was wishing we could skip IHOP entirely, but we were expected. So, after getting in the car I kissed Karrin again, just a little longer and deeper this time, because I loved kissing her so much.

Strange how the whole 'rebooting' process had rattled me more than it should have. At that moment, I was torn between keeping the sword, or putting Amoracchius down and walking away. If I kept the sword, perhaps all those walls I had built up - sarcasm, paranoia, distrust, and indifference - would eventually crumble away.

At this moment, I had a purpose for life, beyond mere survival. I even had a warm fuzzy in my heart and it felt...weirdly nice! Somehow, this 5,000-year-old man was happy to have been chosen to bear the sword Amoracchius.

Finally, I understood why Rafael the Archangel of Healing had appeared to me, an Immortal, a man who could not die. Slowly, little by little, it seemed Rafael was beginning to heal my broken heart.

While this was all probably great, there remained a deeper question I had to ask myself:

Did I, Methos, really want to change? I had rather liked how I had been getting on for the past few thousand years. I was accustomed to my paranoia, distrust, indifference, and sarcasm. I felt uncomfortable with this new warmer, fuzzier me. As much as it looked wrong to me, it still was beginning to feel somewhat right.

Well, at least I didn't have to ask myself any existentialist questions tonight. No, at that moment, Karrin and I were in my black 1956 Porsche and were on our way to IHOP. I was starving, and even though I wasn't crazy about the restaurant, I wanted steak and eggs. I was also ravenous for the beautiful woman sitting beside me, but that would have to wait for later.

I just had to keep telling myself tomorrow was another day. Tonight I was just glad to be free of that Black Magic that had been screwing up my life, and happy to be back to my 'normal self.' You know, the same son of a bitch I have been for centuries except - thanks to Archangel Rafael - a little more on warm and fuzzy side!

**Finish**

**Join me again in the next Methos/Harry Dresden crossover coming soon.**

**But my next story will be; _**Methos' Drunken Tales**_**

**Highlander stories where Methos tells a tale while drinking**

**The first of the Drunken tales is one of Love and Loss**

**Methos and a group are at Amanda's club, The Sanctuary, on April 23rd celebrating Rebbecca's life. Methos gets drunk and gets blackmailed into entertaining the group with a tale about one of his lost loves. This story is set in 2012 and 805 AD. With a huge cast of your favorite Immortals including Daruis, Ceirdwyn, Richie, Amanda, MacLeod, Marcus Constantine, Methos and of course our favorite watcher, Joe. Join in the fun and read Methos' Drunken tales of love and loss. **


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